Drier for washing machines



June 1l, 1929. A. w. ALTORFER DRIER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed NOV. 21, 1927 Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHE'US W. ALTORFEB, OF PEOR-IA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 ALTORFER BROS.Y COM- l PANY, OF EAST PEOBIA, ILLINOIS,v A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

DBIEB FOR WASHING MACHINES.

Application filed November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,878.

This invention has reference to driers for washing machines and it relates particularly to that type of drier employing centrifugal action for extracting water from clothing and other materials, following the washing action. and if desirable following the bluing or rinsing action. y

The invention has for its principal object to provide a.' centrifugal extractor with means lo for inducting air thereinto, heating the air and causing the air to be circulated into and throughout the extractor, whereby to thoroughly dry the clothing and other materials ready for ironing.

The invention has for a further object to provide a heating means removably associated with the extractor, and a fan rotatable with said extractor to cause a circulation of air into and throughoutthe extractor. Stich heating means may take the form of a Bunsen burner or an electric heater of the hair drying type or the equivalentof one or the other.

' A further object of the invention is to provide the extractor with means disposed axially thereof to' conduct; the heated air down through the extractor and ata plurality of points release such heated air radially into the extractor to actv on clothingr and other materials therein to dry the same.

Other and further objects will more fully appeal' from the following description.

That the invention may be more fully understood. reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description. illustrating a preferred embodimentof the invention.v in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a. drier embodying my invention. the head or cover therefor and an element of the air heating and air conducting means being shown in dittferent positions. in dotted lines` and Fig. 2 is a detail view showing one form of au air heating means and mode of attachment to the drier.

Like characters' of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.-

lu Fig. 1. for convenience-in understanding the use of the invention on a washing machine. 1 have shown so much of a washing machine and supporting frame as to illustrate its application thereto.

'lhe tub of the machine is designated 1,

which may contain any suitable agitator or washing element, not shown, adapted to be actuatedby the shaft 2 passing up through the bott-om of the tub and arranged to be operated from any suitable drivingmechanism, notshown. The frame of the machine in-I cludes a head frame 3 provided with an offset ring-like portion 4 to which a standard or ly, as at 7, to present an upper curved bearing surface to receive a similarly formed surface on the under side of a cup-shaped disc 8.

l The two such surfaces, when the parts are assembled, adapted to provide radially arranged conduits or openings for the passage of water expelled from the receptacle 6 as a result of centrifugal action due to the rotation of said receptacle. To the lower end of the receptacle is suitably connected a shaft 9 adapted to be operated from the same source ofv power for operating the agitator shaft .2. I prefer to construct the bottom wall 10 of the receptacle 6 somewhat-saucer shape and connected to said bottom and extending upwardly and axially within the receptacle and terminating near the upper end thereof is the tubular member 11. open at; its upper end and being preferably slightly cone shape. whereby to provldea smaller upper end and a larger lower end. The wall of this member is proyided with a multiplicity of air egress openings 12 to eject air entering into the upper end of said member radially into and throughout the body of said receptacle, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

The disc 8 tapers downwardly and'inwardly and is provided axially with an `opening 13 surrounded on its lower surface with the annular depending fla-nge 14 providing a seat; on the lower surface of said disc into which projects the upper end ofthe tubularmember 11. the open end of which is immediately below the opening 13. in the disc'.` through which heated air enters to discharged fromv the member 11 through the openings 12 therein.

The disc 8 isfurther provided with a central' hub portion 15 from which radiates the plurality of radially arranged Wings or vanes 16 connected at their outer ends to the rim of the disc. These wings or vanes serve as a fan, when the disc is rotated with the receptacle to induct air down through the central opening 13 in the disc and into the tubular member 11. The hub 15 is provided with a self aligning ball-bearing 17 from which projects the spindle 18, on which the disc rotates, and said spindle is journaled ina bearing 19 of a head 2O forming a closure for the upper end of the extractor and supporting the disc 8 through the spindle 18. The disc, adapted when the head is closed, to be brought into engagement with the upper bearing surface 7 ofthe receptacle 6 to close the upper open end thereof and to rotate therewith on the'spindle 18, as will be understood.

Supported on the ring portion 4 of the head frame is a housing 21 having an annular chamber 22 formed by the outer annular wall of said housing and an inner annular flanged wall 23, the latter providing a central opening 24 in which the receptacle G is positioned and through which it is moved to place the receptacle in operative posit-ion or remove it therefrom. Said flanged wall has a bearing relation with the inner surface of the ring portion 4 on which the housing is manually and circumferentially adjustable to position the drain (not shown) in dili'erent radial positions about the drier, whereby water expelled from the receptacle may be discharged into the tub 1 or some other receptacle, not shown. Such a structure is not new and it is thought, therefore, need not be shown. Under normal working conditions the flanged bearing portion 7 of the receptacle overlies the flanged wall 23 of the housing 21, see Fig. 1, and insures the discharge of the water from the receptacle through the openings between the dise 8 and said llange 7, into the chamber 22 of said housing and without drippings linding their Way down the outer surface of the receptacle.

The housing 21 is further provided with an overlying inwardly turned flange portion 26 providing a central opening through which the receptacle may be placed or removed and to enable the placing and removal of the disc 8, carried by the head 20, the latter being hinged at 27 to one side of the flanged portion 26 of the housing and diametrically thereto at the opposite side of said housing is provided a locking member 28 for securing the' head 2O in closed position and the dise 8 in operative engagement with the receptacle 6, in manner shown. The head 20 has an inwardly inclined portion 29 providing'a dome 4encircling a similarly formed portion on the disc 8, whereby air entering through the opening 30 in said head is directed downwardly and through the spaces between the vanes 16 forming the fan in the disc 8. The head 20 has secured on the top thereof a cover plate 32, which, together with the head provide a chambered portion 33 in the head and above and around the opening 30 of the dome 29 in which is positioned a deflection plate 34, above which and centrally located in the cover plate 32 is a short tubular extension 35 providing a vent for the entrance of air into the drier and also providing a means oi attachment, as I shall explain, for the air heating and air conducting means to the drier.

I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, different means of heating and supplying heated airv to the drier, which is caused to be circulated by the fan down through the head 20, dise 8 and into the receptacle through the tubular member 11 therein. 1n Fig. 1 the heating means may be that provided by a Bunsen burner 36, and in Fig. 2 such heat-l ing means may be in the form of a well known hair drier 37, which is preferably electrically heated. c l

Referring to Fig. 1, the burner 36 may be supported from the frame of the machine in any suitable manner, not shown, and have a means 38 for the connection of a hose, not

shown, receiving its supply of fuel from the usual gas jet or other connection, not shown. Supported on a side of the machine is a vertically disposed liuc 39having a bell-shaped mouth overlying the burner 36 through which the heated air enters or is drawn, to be eventually conducted down into the receptacle 6. Rem'ovably attachable to the upper end of the lue 39 andswingable thereabout is an air conducting elbow 40 which has a discharge outlet 41 adapted to have a slip on and off connection with the short tubular extension 35 on the cover plate 32 and when so conl nected, as shown in :full lines in Fig. 1, is in the position for the induction of heated air into the head 2O and which is caused to be circulated through the head and down into and throughout the receptacle 6, in the manner shown. This elbow 40 is removable when not in use and Whenever desired, or may be swung into an out of the way position, as shown in dotted lines, whenever desired.

Referring to Fig. 2, the element 37 for supplying heated .air to the drierand which is here shown in the form of a Well known type of hair drier has a coupling end 42 insertable into and removable from the short tubular extension 35 on the cover plate 32 for supporting the same on top of the drier, when in operative position, and said element 37 has a hand-hold 43v to adapt its placement and removal. Said element also has an electrical connection 44 to operate the motoi` 45 and to supply current t0 the resistance coil 46 by means of Which air inducted into the drier may be heated. No attempt is made to illustrate the details of the element 37 as its structure is well known and also since no claim is made to such a structure per se.

1. In a drier for clothing and ot-her materials, in combination, a rotatable receptacle' arranged for the expelling of water therefrom at its uppe'r end, means to carry ofi' water so expelled by said receptacle, a head hingedly supported to `ada-pt its movement toward and from said receptacle and having a coupling member with an air inlet, a deflecting means below said air inlet, a fan carried by said head rotatable by the receptacle and adapted to cause a circulation of air in the receptacle, air heating means, andmeans associated with said heating meansadapted for attachment with and detacln'nent from the. coupling member of said head. l f

:2. In a drier for clothing and other materials, in combination, a rotatable receptacle arranged for the expelling of water therefrom at its upper end, means to carry oi water so expelled by said receptacle, a head hingedly supported to adapt'its movement toward and from said receptacle *and having a coupling member with an air inlet, a deilecting means below said air inlet, a fan car# ried by said head rotatable by the receptacle and adapted to cause a circulation of air in the receptacle, air heatingmeans, means associated with said hea-ting'means adapted for attachment with and detachment from the coupling member of said head, and means in ,the receptacle to conduct air down into the receptacle axially thereof and at predetermined points radially thereof.

3. In a drier, a rotatable receptacle, a hollow head overlying the receptacle and having an opening communicating with the receptacle and having an opening in itstop, a

f t ...C

'closure for the top opening of the head, a

coupling extending outwardly from the clo.

5. In a drier, a rotatable receptacle, a holl lowhead overlying the receptacle and having an opening communicating .with the recep- I tacle and having an opening -infgits top, a

closure for the top opening of ythe head, a. y

coupling extending outwardl from the closure and forming an air inlet o'r the head, air A j deiiecting means in the head extending below and across said air inletand over and beyond the opening in the head which communicates with said receptacle, and air heatinganeanshaving afreomplementarycoupling detachably engagedwith the coupling of the closure.

6. In a drier, a rotatable receptacle, a head overlying the receptacle, a coupling connected to the head and forming an air inlet thereto, a fan carried by the head'and rotatable with the receptacle, air deiiectino means below the air inlet and above the lfan, and air heating means having a complementary coupling detachably engaged with the coupling of the head. v

' In witness whereof, I have'hereunto aiiixed my hand this 18t-h`day of November, 1927.' 

